


Fallout

by penguingal, Schnaucl (Onetrackmind)



Series: Close to Home [4]
Category: Numb3rs
Genre: Episode: s03e24 The Janus List, Episode: s04e01 Trust Metric, M/M, comment porn
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2008-01-02
Updated: 2008-01-02
Packaged: 2017-11-21 04:49:38
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,664
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/593621
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/penguingal/pseuds/penguingal, https://archiveofourown.org/users/Onetrackmind/pseuds/Schnaucl
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The fallout from Janus List and Trust Metric.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Fallout

**Author's Note:**

> This was written while the ramifications and fallout from Janus List were still playing out in S4. Yeah, we got a little Jossed. But we stuck with this the way it was.

"Granger! You have a visitor," called the guard into Colby's bare cell. It had been less than a week since Don had placed him under arrest and he and Dwayne had been sent to this place, but it hadn't taken him long to learn the routine. He glanced at Dwayne and then stood, placing his hands outside the door to be securely cuffed. He really really hated the sound of the cuffs closing, but he had a job to do. He'd be damned if he was going to waste the last two years of work.  
  
Solemnly, he followed the guard down the hall, not bothering to wonder whom it could be. There wasn't anyone from his life who'd visit him now, here. It could only be Kirkland here to tell him to either sit tight or give him the next move. So, he was surprised to see a head of curly hair waiting for him on the other side of the door. He contemplated not going in, just asking to be taken back to his cell. He didn't think he could stand to see the look of betrayal on Charlie's face, but at the same time, he longed desperately to talk to the man who had his heart. In the end, he went inside.  
  
"Charlie. What are you doing here?" he asked as he sat down opposite him.  
  
He'd planned to be strong. To keep his voice steady. But his resolve only lasted until he saw Colby. "I had to see you," he said hoarsely.  
  
"I didn't want you to see me like this," Colby said softly, "but it is _really_ good to see you." He wanted to reach across the table and take Charlie's hand, but one glance at the guard in the room told him that it'd be a bad idea. So, he shifted his feet a little and found the edge of Charlie's foot, pressing them together.  
  
"I am so sorry. For all of this. For dragging you into the middle of it. I can't imagine what you must think of me."  
  
Charlie pulled his foot away. "Tell me why," he said quietly, wincing at the pain in his own voice. "Just--tell me why."  
  
"I can't," Colby replied, not making any further attempt to touch Charlie. "I wish I could." He met Charlie's eyes for the space of a breath and looked away. "Please. Don't give up on me yet, Charlie. Please."  
  
"Can't or won't?" Charlie asked, ignoring Colby's plea.  
  
Colby just shook his head and stood. "I'm sorry. There's nothing I can say. If you can't believe anything else, believe that I love you. I'm always going to love you."  
  
He faced the guard and waited for the door to be unlocked, turning to look at his genius one last time. There was no telling where all this was going to take him besides far from Charlie. It killed him to say it, but it had to be done. "Please, don't come here again. Goodbye, my genius."  
  
"Colby--" but he didn't know what else to say.  
  
Colby had to force himself to walk out of the door and leave Charlie standing there with all his unanswered questions. In the back of his mind he prayed that he'd be able to somehow convince Charlie to take him back when this was all over, but he didn't hold much hope for the idea.  
  
When he got back to his cell, Dwayne was stretched out on the top bunk with a book and he sat heavily on the edge of the bottom one.  
  
"What was all that about?" Dwayne asked.  
  
Colby swallowed hard. "Dwayne, do me a favor and don't talk to me for a while, okay?"  
  
He could feel Dwayne roll his eyes as he settled back on the bunk. "Fine, Granger. Just remember why it is we're both stuck here with each other."  
  
Charlie shivered as he walked outside the prison. His arms were folded tightly across his chest and he had to fight to keep himself together until he reached his car. But then he couldn't hold back his tears.  
  
He called Don. "You were right. I shouldn't have come. Can you--can you come get me? I don't think I should drive."  
  
"I'll be right there, buddy," Don said without hesitation. He grabbed his coat and headed out, his anger at Colby reigniting into a blaze from the low burn it had managed to subside into. More than that, he was angry at himself for not seeing it. Most of all, Colby had hurt Charlie, and that was something he'd never forgive himself or the other man for.  
  
When he reached the prison parking lot, he easily spotted Charlie's blue Prius and parked next to it. Charlie was sitting out of the door, his head in his hands, tears staining his cheeks.  
  
"Hey. Hey, buddy. I'm here," Don said, crouching down in front of him.  
  
"I thought--I don't know. I hoped he could just--tell me _why_."  
  
Don bit his lip and shook his head. "I know, buddy. I can't believe he'd do this. It seems so... not like him. And his confession..."  
  
"What about his confession?" Charlie asked, his voice watery.  
  
"I don't know. Something just seems--wrong about it. Like there's something there, but I just can't see it." He shook his head again and pulled Charlie to his feet. "Come on, I'll take you home. Dad and I'll come back and get your car."  
  
"Thanks." They drove in silence for a while, then Charlie said, "He said he still loves me."  
  
"Do you believe him?"  
  
"I don't know," Charlie admitted softly. "I don't know if it was real, for him. I don't know if was ordered to--to seduce me. And if he was, if he fell in love despite himself."  
  
"Charlie," Don started carefully, "did Colby ever ask you for information, like anything from the NSA that he couldn't get his hands on?"  
  
"I've been trying to remember. I don't think so. I don't remember talking about it with him any more than I talk about it with you."  
  
"Good. There's going to be a lot of uncomfortable questions in the next few weeks, Charlie. I want you to be ready for that." He placed a comforting hand on Charlie's shoulder.  
  
"I know. Do you think they'll take away my security clearance?" he asked quietly. It had been on his mind a lot lately but he hadn't been able to make himself ask until now. If they revoked his security clearance he'd never be able to legally work with Don.  
  
"I don't know. Though really, they'd have to take all of our clearances away, too. We all worked with him, all had relationships with him outside the office." He pulled into the driveway and turned the car off.  
  
"Are you going to be okay if Dad and I leave you alone for a while to go pick up your car?"  
  
"But you're not gay," Charlie said softly. "That can be a consideration now, under Bush." He swallowed. "I'll be okay. Thanks for asking though. I'm not--I won't do anything stupid, Don. I promise." He was still angry and terribly hurt, betrayed and upset, but he wasn't suicidal.  
  
Don reached over and pulled Charlie into a fast, tight hug. "I'm sorry. I should have seen all this coming."  
  
"It's not your fault. I should have seen something. I should have asked more about Dwayne or something."  
  
Giving Charlie's shoulder another squeeze, Don shook his head. "You shouldn't blame yourself. Colby did his job well, I'll give him that. It's him we should really blame for dragging us all into this." Privately, he thought it was a good thing his dad was coming with him to get Charlie's car. Otherwise he'd be hard pressed not to burst into the jail and give Colby a thorough piece of his mind.  
  
"Come on. Let's get you inside," he said gently.  
  
"Okay." Charlie walked into the house with Don's hand on his shoulder. He settled on the couch, a math journal in his hands. He couldn't really focus on it, but he could pretend.  
  
"Charlie? Is that you?" Alan said, coming in from the kitchen. He took one look at his youngest son on the couch and his mood visibly shifted, reflecting the anger that Don could feel burning under his skin. "I take it things didn't go well," he said to Don.  
  
Don just shook his head. "Not at all. I picked him up because he was too upset to drive. Come with me to get the car?"  
  
"Yeah, of course." Alan leaned down and pressed a kiss to Charlie's forehead. "It'll be okay, my boy. If you need to talk..."  
  
Charlie let a wan smile cross his face. He doubted his dad had any insight into what it was like to have your gay lover in prison for treason, but he appreciated the effort. "Thanks, Pop."  
  
"We'll be back soon, Charlie. Get some rest," Don said as he waited for Alan to leave first.  
  
"I will," Charlie said. As soon as they were gone the memories of him and Colby in the house together started to flood back. There were pieces of him everywhere: things he'd left behind as well as the ghosts of memories. They'd made love there on the floor barely five steps inside the door because it had been two weeks since they'd had more than 10 minutes together and the need was so bad they couldn't wait to make it up the stairs. Where he was sitting now was where they'd cuddled after the jet crash case. Moments upon moments heaped on his consciousness until Charlie thought he might suffocate from the weight. He curled up on the couch and cried, feeling confused, lost, angry, and so very, very alone.  
  
Don had dinner at the house then he went back to the office to review Colby's confession again. And again.  
  
The weeks passed like this. Charlie threw himself into his teaching, the math being the only thing that was completely his, not his and Colby's. He was glad that Don hadn't asked him to come in to work on any cases; he honestly wasn't sure how he'd be able to handle seeing Colby's desk empty and abandoned.  
  
Don did his job, but each chance he got, he returned to watching Colby's confession. There was something there. He knew it. There had to be. He had to find out what he'd missed.  
  
And Colby sat in jail, looking at the same four walls. It was almost a relief when Dwayne got thrown in solitary and he could spare some time to think. He wrote letters to Charlie, ones he never intended to send but that told him everything about what was happening and told him just how much he missed and loved him. Each time he finished a letter, he destroyed it, not able to risk leaving it around. He wondered how long he'd have to stay in here with Dwayne and was afraid that maybe his handlers had forgotten him. So it was a relief, after five weeks, to see Kirkland again and be told that something was going to happen.  
  
Charlie slowly started to get his life back together. He buried himself in school work. And then Don came in from the kitchen, ready to go golfing with their dad and got the phone call about Colby's escape and everything just--stopped.  
  
His heart stopped, his brain stopped. He could swear he almost felt time stop, too. Don was rushing around trying to find his keys and he couldn't _think_ much less help. Dad, of course, had to bring up his work on pursuit curves and there it was, that one thing that was going to get Charlie back in gear: math.  
  
And maybe, just maybe, if he could help find Colby, he could do something to make sure he didn't get hurt... or hurt anyone else. He grabbed his keys from where Don had tossed them down and headed out, calling Amita and getting some agents to go pick up Larry along the way.  
  
He wasn't sure what to think when Colby called him. He'd expected --maybe that explanation he'd been hoping for. But he dutifully handed the phone over to Don, and then watched with anxious eyes.  
  
Kirkland was dead. There was no way to know for sure if Colby was telling the truth. They only had his word and the lingering question of whether his word could be trusted. Charlie had the numbers and he had faith in them. But for one of the first times in his life, he had doubts. What if he was wrong?  
  
Standing in the room with Megan, David, and Don, Don looking at him with so much hope, Charlie decided to trust the one thing that had never let him down. He said Colby could be trusted. And he almost believed it in his heart.  
  
….  
  
Finally, he sat beside Colby's bedside, exhausted. He was feeling so many conflicting feelings he didn't know where to begin. Guilt because he had ever doubted, anger that he hadn't been brought in even though he knew Colby couldn't risk telling him. Hurt. Relief. Worry. Love.  
  
Colby's dreams were convoluted, twisted this way and that. He awoke slowly to the sounds of monitors beeping and the sense that someone was there with him. He opened his eyes: a hospital. Slowly, he let his gaze slide to the right, finding Charlie's head resting on the bed next to his hip. He wanted to run his fingers through his hair, wake his sleeping genius slowly, but he didn't think the touch would be well received. Instead, he said as loud as he could, not really much more than a whisper, "Charlie."  
  
Charlie woke instantly. "Colby?" he asked softly. "Hey. How are you feeling?"  
  
"Like I was tortured and pumped full of drugs," Colby said, trying for light and missing. He pushed himself up on the bed a little and then stopped, wincing with the effort. "What happened?"  
  
"Easy," Charlie murmured. He filled him in on what Don had told him.  
  
"So they're both dead, Dwayne and the guy they were looking for?"  
  
Charlie nodded.  
  
Colby let his head fall back against the pillow and closed his eyes. It was over. He was free to live just one life now and to live it honestly. Only problem was, he didn't know how much of his old life was still there for him.  
  
"That's the second time I was sure I was going to die. And both of them have to do with Dwayne." He glanced at Charlie and put his palm up on the bed, a silent invitation. "Thank you, by the way, for saving my life."  
  
"I'm sorry," he said softly. "I'm sorry I didn't believe you."  
  
"I needed you to not believe me. I needed everyone to think I was guilty. It was the only way. And I didn't know how far I was going to have to go. All the way to China maybe. So don't be sorry. You believed me when it was important. And I never stopped loving you."  
  
"I should have known," Charlie argued. "I should have--" he swallowed. "I love you."  
  
Colby grabbed Charlie's hand and pulled him down, pressing their lips firmly together without thought or care about who might see them. "I love you so much," he murmured against Charlie's lips. "Please don't beat yourself up over what I did."  
  
Charlie held onto him as tightly as he dared, mindful of his injuries. "I was so--" scared, hurt, angry, confused, alone.  
  
"I know, my genius. I know. I wanted to tell you. It was so hard keeping this from you. And when you came to visit me in the prison... I hated leaving you. It took everything I had to turn away and walk out of the room. Especially knowing I might never see you again." Colby's voice broke, and he cleared his throat, trying to pretend there weren't tears welling in his eyes.  
  
"Not going anywhere," Charlie said thickly.  
  
Colby let the silence surround them for a few minutes, just enjoying the feel of Charlie in his arms more than anything. After a while he cleared his throat. "Do you--Do you think you'll ever be able to trust me again?" he asked softly.  
  
"I already have," Charlie said quietly. "We all did."  
  
"Even Don?"  
  
Charlie hesitated a long moment, then said, "Don isn't the one who's been having the most trouble, actually. It's David."  
  
Colby winced, remembering the scene in the interrogation room when David had burst in. He pulled Charlie up a little so his head was resting on his shoulder. "I really made a mess of things, didn't I?" he said softly. What he'd said to Dwayne was true; he wished someone else had pulled him from that burning humvee.  
  
"It wasn't really your fault," Charlie temporized.  
  
"I could have told them to find someone else when they came to me. But no. The son raised by an Army Dad had to follow orders, be a good solider. And in the process I almost lost everything I care about," he said bitterly.  
  
"Hey, hey," Charlie soothed, kissing him softly. "It's over now, okay? It'll take some time, but things'll get back to normal. I promise."  
  
Grateful, Colby pulled him down into a deep, thorough kiss. He took his time, relearning Charlie's taste and feel, only to have the kiss broken by a polite cough from the doorway.  
  
"Sorry to interrupt," Don said, grinning apologetically.  
  
"Hey," Charlie said warmly.  
  
"Don." Despite Charlie's assurances, he still wasn't sure what kind of reception he was going to get. Besides, Don had reason to be angry both as his boss and as his lover's brother.  
  
"How are you feeling?" Don asked. "You gave us something of a scare."  
  
"Like I was drugged and tortured," he said, squeezing Charlie's hand. "Thanks for coming after me. For--believing me."  
  
"You're welcome," Don said, putting his hand on Colby's shoulder. "I'm glad we made it in time. And when you're out of here, remind me to give you the dressing down you deserve for making us go through all that. And especially for making Charlie go through that."  
  
Colby chuckled weakly.  
  
"Seriously, man. I'm glad you're okay. You're important to... Charlie. And Charlie's important to me."  
  
"And by the mathematical property of substitution we know that you are important to Don," Charlie said, grinning.  
  
"Yeah, well," Don said, rubbing the back of his neck, "he's gonna have some work to do to get back in Dad's good graces. I'm not sure if he's more pissed about what happened or more pissed that you almost died doing it."  
  
"I know. And your career--I'm sorry, Don. About all of it."  
  
"Don's career?" Charlie asked, looking from Colby to Don.  
  
"We'll talk about it later," Don said, in his best 'this discussion is closed' voice.  
  
"Don. What don't I know?" Charlie pressed. He'd had enough of secrets for a very long time. If his brother was in trouble because of his lover, then he needed to do something.  
  
Don's jaw tightened and he looked at Colby. "Charlie, I said la--"  
  
"Don's career is pretty thoroughly trashed," Colby said. "He might be promoted again, eventually, if he works twice as hard as he is now, but I doubt he'll be able to rise much higher than that." Colby carefully didn't look at Don.  
  
"But why? You turned out to be undercover so--"  
  
"It doesn't work like that, Charlie. I had a mole in my team or I had an undercover agent and either way I should have seen it," Don said quietly.  
  
Charlie looked between Colby and Don, astounded. "And they're going to punish you because Colby did his job too well? Because he had to lie to everyone to do what he was ordered to do?"  
  
"Charlie..." Don started.  
  
"No. No, you can't let this happen," Charlie said to Colby. "You can't."  
  
"I'll do everything I can, I promise," Colby said.  
  
Don shook his head. "What do you think you can do, Colby? In the eyes of some of the people in the department, you're still a traitor. We're the only ones who saw that needle coming out of your chest. Don't think this all just goes away."  
  
"I didn't think it would, Don." He honestly wasn't sure he could do anything at all, but he was still going to try--for Charlie and for Don and for himself.  
  
Don rubbed the back of his head. "Yeah, I know. It'll be okay. I'll deal. What I really came by to do was to give you this," he said, holding Colby's badge out to him. "Your gun will be waiting for you when you come back to work."  
  
"Don I--I don't know what to say." Colby's voice was rough with emotion.  
  
"How about thank you?" Don suggested with a smile. "You're a good agent, Colby. I want you on my team."  
  
Colby gripped his badge tight and looked Don in the eyes. "Thank you, Don. Really. For everything."  
  
"Okay, okay," a nurse said as she wandered in. "Agent Eppes, Colby needs to get his rest. I'm afraid he's not allowed any more visitors right now."  
  
"Is it okay if I stay?" Charlie asked, gripping Colby's hand.  
  
The nurse looked at him critically.  
  
"Please?" Colby asked her. "It'd mean a lot to me."  
  
"Okay, fine, but I want you resting," she said and then left them alone again.  
  
Charlie left Colby long enough to cross the room and give Don's shoulder a squeeze. "Thank you."  
  
"You're welcome," Don said, squeezing Charlie's shoulder in return. "Get some rest. I want you back to work as soon as possible." And with that, Don left them alone again.  
  
Charlie pulled a chair up to Colby's bed and picked up his hand. "I'm not going anywhere."  
  
"I'm glad," Colby said, his eyes starting to droop as he squeezed Charlie's hand. "I love you so much. Thanks for standing by me."  
  
"Always," Charlie murmured. "Sleep now." He stroked Colby's forehead.  
  
Colby closed his eyes and dropped off into dreamless sleep.  
  
....  
  
A few days later and Charlie was helping him into his street clothes. He was still a little shaky, but he was stable and all the drugs were out of his system. He was still officially on leave, but part of him itched to get back to work. "Would rather you were helping me out of these," Colby murmured, running his hand down Charlie's back.  
  
"Soon. When the doctor says it's okay."  
  
Colby grumbled, but didn't push. He knew Charlie was just being sensible, but it had been _weeks_ since they'd been able to be together. He wasn't sure just how much longer he could stand it.  
  
"Ready to go?" Alan said, pushing a wheel chair into the room as he stepped around the corner.  
  
"Almost," Charlie replied for him.  
  
Colby tried not to look too surprised. "What's all this?"  
  
"You're coming home with us so we can make sure you're taking care of yourself," Alan said, giving Colby a look that would allow for no argument.  
  
Colby's throat was tight. "Guys, I--"  
  
"You're family," Alan said firmly.  
  
"Alan, I--thank you," Colby finished. "That means so much to me." He got into the wheel chair without comment, more grateful for it than he wanted to admit.  
  
"Speaking of family, how is yours handling all this?" Alan asked as Charlie started to push him from the room.  
  
"They're all very relieved. And upset at the same time. Chris said Cassie took it really hard when I went to prison. None of them could believe it. None of them knew what to think. Mom wanted to come straight here when I told her I was hurt, but I managed to talk her out of it. I can't have them all descending on me. Not yet."  
  
"But you think they will? Does that mean I'll get to meet them?" Alan asked.  
  
Colby chuckled. "I think that short of an apocalypse, there's little that will stop my mom from coming here to see to her baby. And the rest of my family won't let her come alone. So the short answer is yes, I'd love it if you met my family."  
  
"Then something good will come of this after all," Alan said. "I look forward to it."  
  
That, and Colby finally had the secret that had been eating away at him off his chest.  
  
"Alan," Colby said, getting Charlie to stop pushing him for a second. "I'm sorry. About everything. I hated putting you and Charlie through all this."  
  
"I know you are," Alan said, carefully squeezing his shoulder. "And I know you didn't have a choice. Just don't go almost dying on us too often, okay? Worrying about two sons is hard enough."  
  
Colby smiled and reached up to pat Alan's hand where it was resting on his shoulder. "It's a deal."  
  
....  
  
"Do you need help getting inside?" Charlie asked as they parked in the driveway.  
  
"I think I can manage," Colby said, keeping one hand on the top of the car as he made his way around. Charlie stepped under his shoulder and put an arm around his waist.  
  
"Just in case," he explained, squeezing Colby to him.  
  
Colby decided his best course of action was just to grin and bear it. Charlie's over protectiveness was a small price to pay. Especially since he could have just as easily decided he no longer wanted anything to do with him.  
  
Once inside, Colby got settled on the couch, grabbing Charlie's hand as he started to move away.  
  
"Come sit with me," he urged, tugging gently. "You've been flitting around all morning."  
  
"Sorry. Just--nervous, I guess. Don't know why." He sat down next to Colby.  
  
"I promise you, I'm not going anywhere. Not ever again," he murmured to Charlie, turning his head and giving him a short, soft kiss.  
  
"I'm going to hold you to that."  
  
"I wouldn't expect anything less," Colby said, running his fingers through Charlie's hair. "I've been thinking... what would you think about telling Megan and David. About us."  
  
"I think that's a good idea. But do you think we should wait? You've only just come back."  
  
"I'd really rather not lie to them anymore. Not about something as important as this." Colby pressed Charlie against his side. "I know there's a chance that neither of them will take it well, but I don't want to hide how happy I am with you."  
  
"Okay," he said, smiling.  
  
Grinning back, Colby leaned over and kissed Charlie deeply, intending to make it soft and sweet, but the need for him bled through and soon it was fierce and dirty and consuming.  
  
Charlie returned the kiss, fierce and dirty and _desperate_.  
  
"Let's go upstairs for a while," Colby suggested, murmuring against Charlie's lips.  
  
"The doctors didn't say--"  
  
"Please Charlie."  
  
Colby's hand had slipped under the hem of his t-shirt and his thumb was tracing a soft pattern against his skin. Charlie could feel his resolve crumbling a little more with each gentle pass of the digit until the needy, pleading look in Colby's eyes destroyed it completely.  
  
"Okay," Charlie said, wrapping his arms around Colby's neck and kissing him thoroughly. "But promise me, if it hurts or it's too much, you'll tell me?"  
  
"Promise," Colby replied, wrapping his arms around Charlie's waist and hauling him closer. He pushed him gently away and waited for him to get off the couch before standing himself and reclaiming his lips. Together, they moved slowly to the staircase and up to Charlie's bedroom, kissing and groping along the way.  
  
"I've missed you," Charlie murmured. "God, I've missed you."  
  
"Missed you, too," Colby said, kicking the bedroom door shut behind him. "So much. Need you, Charlie."  
  
"I need you, too. But we have to do this slowly. Carefully. I'm not going to hurt you."  
  
Colby took a deep breath. "Okay. Okay." He forced himself to slow down, pulling Charlie tight against him and slipping his hand under his shirt to caress the small of his back. "Better?" he murmured.  
  
"Better," Charlie agreed, giving him a soft kiss.  
  
Gently, Colby worked Charlie's shirt off his frame and then bent his head to lavish attention on his neck and throat, inhaling his scent. "God, Charlie," he breathed. "You're the best thing that's ever happened to me. You know that?"  
  
"And you're one of the best things that's ever happened to me." He gently caressed Colby's cheek.  
  
"Only one of?" Colby teased, moving Charlie back toward the bed. "Guess I'll have to work on that." He grinned and followed Charlie down to the mattress, covering him with his body and slipping a knee between his legs.  
  
Charlie grinned and kissed him again. He didn't want to get into a ranking of the good things in his life. There were many and that was enough.  
  
They simply kissed for a long time, reacquainting themselves with the other's feel and taste, the sounds they made. Every now and then Colby would nudge at Charlie's erection, just to hear him gasp into their kiss. Finally, Colby's hand slid down Charlie's stomach and started to work at his belt buckle. He backed off just long enough to strip his own shirt and toss it aside before returning to his task, slipping his hand inside Charlie's open pants in short order, rubbing the fabric of his underwear against his straining cock.  
  
Charlie moaned and kissed Colby's chest. "I've missed this," he whispered.  
  
"God, so have I," Colby moaned as desire shot through him. He rubbbed Charlie's cock more firmly, but still didn't free him from his underwear. "I love you."  
  
"I love you, too." He undid Colby's pants and slid down his body, kissing his hip.  
  
"Nnngh, Charlie," Colby moaned, his head dropping back. He tugged at Charlie's pants, needing to get to the rest of his skin. "Wanna taste you," he murmured, running a hand through his curls.  
  
Charlie shuddered. "Then taste me."  
  
Gently, Colby pushed so Charlie was lying flat on his back and then he kissed his way down his body, helping him wiggle out of his pants and underwear. As soon as his cock was freed, he wrapped a hand around the base and sucked the head into his wet heat.  
  
Charlie moaned and forced himself to hold still, to not buck into that delicious heat.  
  
Colby took his time, tracing the slit and then moving down the crown before flicking his tongue under the sensitive ridge. He reveled in the sounds of pleasure Charlie made above him, thinking it was the best thing he'd heard since he'd escaped. Slowly, he moved down the shaft, tracing the veins and ridges as he went.  
  
Charlie moaned and writhed, toes digging into the sheets of his bed.  
  
"God, those sounds," Colby moaned as he kissed his way up Charlie's leg. "The things I'm going to do to you." He sucked a nipple between his lips and nibbled on it lightly. "Tell me you want me, my genius."  
  
"I want you, Colby. I've always wanted you."  
  
Colby paused, giving the comment maybe a little more weight than Charlie had intended. He gently caressed Charlie's cheek and kissed him tenderly. "That's good to know."  
  
Reaching over, he grabbed the lube from where they kept it and slicked his fingers, slipping one into him easily.  
  
Charlie moaned and shivered. It felt like it'd years since Colby had touched him like this.  
  
"God," Colby breathed, awe-struck. He'd always known that Charlie was beautiful, but seeing him like this now, after everything, it was like he was seeing it for the first time all over again. And Charlie had never looked better. Dipping his head, he nibbled lightly on Charlie's inner thigh as he finished prepping him. Soon, he was nudging at Charlie's entrance and teasing his way inside, pushing forward a little and then pulling back, only to push forward a little more with the next thrust.  
  
Charlie moaned and clung to Colby, whispering soft words of love and need.  
  
Colby took his time, drawing out the experience for both of them. He was flushed and panting by the time he was fully seated inside Charlie. "Fuck, Charlie," he moaned, dropping his head and letting the sensations wash over him.  
  
"I've missed you," Charlie whispered.  
  
"I've missed you, too," Colby whispered in reply. "I can't even express how much."  
  
He started to thrust, slow and even, his hands teasing Charlie's skin as he did, offering no relief yet for his straining cock.  
  
"Colby! Colby please!" Charlie moaned and writhed, one hand clutching Colby's shoulder desperately.  
  
Colby's control snapped and he started thrusting in earnest, hard and wild, seeking to drive both of them to the brink and send them hurtling over. He wrapped a hand around Charlie's cock and stroked him firmly.  
  
Charlie said Colby's name over and over, the pressure and the pleasure building until it could no longer be sustained. He came with a sharp cry.  
  
Crying out, Colby came seconds later, his muscles tensing as his orgasm surged through him. He barely caught himself from collapsing on top of Charlie as it faded, marshalling enough energy to roll to the side and gather him in his arms. "Wow."  
  
Charlie murmured an agreement and nuzzled Colby's neck.  
  
Stroking his skin, Colby let the peacefulness wash over him. There were no sounds of other prisoners, and best of all, no beeping monitors or hospital staff. Just him and Charlie and their heartbeats as they evened out, and suddenly he knew that this was how he wanted to spend the rest of his life.  
  
Smiling to himself, he pressed a kiss to Charlie's forehead and settled his head on his chest, running his fingers through the curls.


End file.
